


In Your Heart Shall Burn

by Willowflower_Waterlily



Series: Inquisitor Anna [3]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-17
Updated: 2015-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-23 09:59:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3763864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowflower_Waterlily/pseuds/Willowflower_Waterlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Leads into the next story.</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Anna stares up at the breach and takes a few deep breaths. Behind her, Solas is instructing the best and brightest of the mages in what they need to do. After he is finished talking Solas stands beside Anna and nods his head. She nods in return and throws her hand out pointing it toward the breach, and feels the power from the mages flow through the mark and up. When she pulls her hand back, Anna visualizes closing a door in her mind. A loud blast from the breach itself knocks everyone back. When they all look up again, they cheer, the breach is finally closed.

 

Cullen watches Anna watch everyone else celebrate. He wonders why Anna isn't off flirting with Dorian. Then he looks around for the mage and finds him flirting with every male in sight. Perplexed, he walks over to Anna, to see if she knew. "Good evening Cullen." Anna says, smiling at him.

"I... I was wondering if you knew that Dorian was flirting with every man he can." Cullen rubs the back of his neck looking uncomfortable.

"He prefers the company of men." Anna replies, and pauses thinking about why Cullen could possibly be bringing this... And then she doubles over laughing. "You thought him and me?" Peels of laughter erupt from her, ending with a very unlady like snort.

"Well, you two flirt a lot." Cullen was bright red.

"Why, do you fancy him?" Anna teases, and for a second it looks like Cullen turned purple.

"What... no!" Cullen stammers, "I mean it's not bad that he... It's just not... Not something that... Interests me... Maker's breath..."

"Good to know." Anna smirks at him. "And to answer your question, yes I did know. That's why I flirt with him, he's become one of my best friends."

"And, why do you flirt with me?" Cullen watches her go wide eyed and blush, but before she can answer, a guard comes up and whispers in his ear. "I'll be right back." Cullen nods at Anna and runs off after the guard.

 

Anna and her group rush back to the Chantry with the last of the people they saved. Once in the building, Cullen finds her and tells her his plan. "We're dying, but we can decide how. Not many get that choice." When he says it, the words resonate with her. In her heart she knew this was going to kill her. Anna flexes her hand, and tries to figure out how everyone else can make it out. That's when Roderick tells them of a path he took accidentally one day.

"Will that work Cullen?" She asks, looking over at him.

"Yes, but, what about you?" Anna's heart sinks at the tone in his voice, she can hear his worry, his pain at the thought of her not making it. Without thinking she walks over to him and wraps her arms around his waist and lays her head on his shoulder. He embraces her and for a moment, they both wish that time could stop, that they could stay like that forever. But they can't, and when they pull away from one another, both with eyes full of unshead tears.

"Save them." She says softly, "for me." Anna leans up and kisses Cullen's cheek before running out the door with her group, and some soldiers to load the trebuchet.


	2. Chapter 2

Cullen leads everyone out, and when he turns he see the soldiers that he sent out and the three from Anna's inner circle that went out with her. He looks at Dorian, who shakes his head sadly. Cullen closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before he has one of the mage's signal. A moment later they all hear the landslide. Everyone that survived the fighting, the escape stay at the top of the valley, hidden among the trees as Haven is buried. Some weep for the Herald, they all know it was because of her that they all still draw breath.

 

"Cullen, you need to rest." Leliana says, watching him pace and look out over the path they took to come here. "I think she's still alive too, but you'll be no good to her if you're dead on your feet." Cullen finds a boulder and leans against it.

"I can't sit still, I need to do something, to look for her." Cullen turns to face Leliana and her heart breaks for him.

"You love her, don't you." Leliana meant it as a question, but it came out as a statement. She can tell, just by looking into his eyes, that he loves Anna.

"I... yes, I do." Cullen admits to Leliana, and it astonishes him how easily the thought occurred to him, like he had always known deep down that he was in love.

"Then if she makes it back to us, you need to tell her." Leliana places her hand on Cullen's shoulder. 

"There are so many reasons why she and I should never be together." Cullen says looking up at the spymaster. Before Leliana can reply, they both catch a green glow in the corner of their eyes, and Cullen takes off. As he reaches Anna, she collapses. He catches her before she can land in the snow and carefully picks her up. Carrying her back to the camp, he yells for Leliana to get the healers.

"Cullen." She whispers. Cullen looks down at her as he's running her through camp.

"Stay with me, Anna." His voice full of worry as he pleads with her to live. Cullen gently places her down on a cot and the healers get to work.


	3. Chapter 3

Anna stares around her, feeling lost as everyone that made it through the attack on Haven kneel before her as they sang. When they finish singing, Solas walks up to her and asks for a moment. When they're apart from the others, he tells her about the orb Coryfeus carries, and a place for the Inquisition to move to. Anna is so excited that she hugs Solas and runs off to tell the others.

 

Dorian and Varric pull her aside on the second night of their journey to their new home. "So have you told him yet?" Dorian asks, and Anna frowns at him.

"I haven't, but I haven't stopped flirting with him either." Anna folds her arms, and glances in Cullen's direction.

"He cares for you, Silver."

"Well, sure. We're friends." 

"Not like that, he cares for you more than that." Dorian says, annoyed. "Clearly, you've noticed too. You've had to."

"Sure, but if he wanted to take it further, he would." Anna lightly chews on her lower lip. "He doesn't strike me as the type of man that wouldn't go after what he wants, once he knows what that is."

 

Cullen watches Anna joke around with Dorian and Varric. "Are you going to tell her?" Leliana asks, drawing his attention.

"I'm not sure, but not now in any case." He replies. "Besides, I'm sure she's just flirting with me." Cullen smiles at Leliana and walks away before she can reply. Leliana shakes her head and joins the others.

 

On the fifth day of traveling, they find Skyhold. Anna is so thrilled, that she runs around and hugs all of the people in her inner circle and her adivser. When she gets to Cullen, she uses her excitement as an excuse to jump into his arms and bear hug him. He plants a kiss on the top of her head and sets her down, both of them blushing.

 

Cullen gets to work straight away, setting up guard rotations, have soldiers who were masons work with the Dwarves to help secure their new home. He's set himself up by the infirmary, so he can get updates on the wounded as soon as possible. He's giving orders to a group of soldiers when he sees Anna approaching him. Cullen quickly gives the orders and dismisses them when she gets to his side. "I'm guessing you think resting some is a bad habit." She chuckles as Cullen leans over the makeshift table.

"We were set up as best as we could have been, in Haven." Cullen ignores her teasing him. "This time I want to make sure that we don't have to run from this place if we're attacked again, but I wouldn't want to."

"Our escape, it was close. I'm so glad that you, and everyone else made it out." Anna blushes at him, biting her lower lip.

"As am I." Cullen replies softly. "You stayed behind, you could have..." Cullen feels a lump form in his throat at the thought of losing her. "I swear to you I won't let what happened in Haven happen again." 

"I believe you." Anna turns to leave, but pivots to face him again. "I have a question."

"Hm?" Cullen glances up from his map to look at her. 

"Did you leave anyone behind in Kirkwall?"

"No, I'm afraid I didn't make many friends there. I'm from Ferelden originally, so all my family is there." Cullen stares at her, hoping she's asking what he thinks she's asking.

"So, no one special then?" She asks, her cheeks red from blushing.

"Not in Kirkwall." Cullen smirks as she nods and walks off.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leads into the next story.

Cullen sits on the sofa in Anna's room, waiting for her to come back from a meeting. He's officially there to talk about Inquisition matters. Unofficially, though, he's trying to work up the nerve to ask her why she's been flirting with him. He's told her that he's not interested in the company of men, like Dorian, so it puzzles him why she would want to flirt with him. Cullen hasn't seen her flirt with anyone else.

 

Hours pass, and he's wondering if he should stay there and wait, or if he should just leave the paper work on her desk. When he tries to get up, it's like he's stuck to the sofa. It's so comfortable that before he knows what he's doing, he's laying down. "This sofa must be bewitched," he mutters to himself. Cullen smiles sleepily, as he inhales her scent. A bouquet of flowers is placed beside the sofa, on the small table, flowers that she uses for her soap. Cullen's eye lids get heavier and heavier, until he falls asleep, still holding onto the paper work her brought for Anna.


End file.
